


Heavy Seas of Love

by rotg5311



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Charlie Bradbury & Dean Winchester Friendship, M/M, Navy Castiel (Supernatural), Pirate Dean Winchester, Pirate Sam Winchester, Pirates, Rape/Non-con Elements, The Royal Navy, Threats of Rape/Non-Con
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-06-14
Packaged: 2019-10-03 10:38:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17282507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rotg5311/pseuds/rotg5311
Summary: Sailing the High Seas, serving the Queen's Royal Navy, it was everything Castiel ever wanted, until he's captured for ransom by a crew of notorious Pirates. In captivity Castiel learns his Brother is in fact still alive, and not dead as he and his family had been lead to believe, he'll stop at nothing to find him and bring him home. With the help of a handsome Captain and a surprisingly friendly First-Mate, Castiel sets out to find Balthazar, no matter what the cost.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here's my drabble I've been thinking about for a while, because Pirate's are hella sexy, and why not.

The salty air filled his nose, washed over his face, claimed him for the sea once again. From the age he could be on a boat, Castiel had begged his Father to bring him along. It wasn’t ideal, but no one was willing to argue with a Commodore. His Father had claimed it was early training for getting yet another one of his Son’s to join the Navy. Luckily, Castiel loved being on the sea as much as his Father loved having all his Son’s fly through the ranks to claim their rightful place as Lieutenants and even Captains of other ships. Only two of his Brothers dared to defy their ‘rightful’ place in the world, though no matter how taboo it was to think of them, Castiel couldn’t help it. Lucifer was before Castiel’s time. He was just a babe when that all happened. Unfortunately, his other Siblings were much more devote to their Father, meaning Castiel had to piece together the story himself. It wasn’t pretty. Dabbling with piracy, a slew of murders, desecrating the family name, those were the only things Castiel was sure that Lucifer had truly done. He could never get a sure fire answer to whether his eldest Brother had been locked away for the rest of his life or hung with the rest of his crew. His name and story was truly a shame to the entire family, and so they hid it like a bad boil.

The other Brother was a story he knew well, and tried not to dwell on as much. Gabriel had always been… something else. Different from everyone, yet so able to fit in everywhere. Everywhere except the Royal Navy. He could’ve been one of the best, if only his heart had been in it. Unlike Lucifer, Gabriel had never turned to Treason, Piracy, or Crime. Yet, his failure was just as much a disgrace. So, as a compromise, he was sent off. Castiel didn’t know where, and he hadn’t heard from his Brother in years. Their family was a very respected one, and in order to maintain that image, they got rid of the thing threatening it. Castiel didn’t agree, and he missed his Brother dearly, but it wasn’t his place to object, or he could end up in the same situation. His place wasn’t off traveling to all the Kingdom's of the world. It was on the Sea.

Just like all his Brother’s before him, Castiel made it to the rank of Acting Lieutenant fast, and the Lieutenant. What he didn’t fully expect was his men to disagree with the choice. One night he had heard two men whispering on how he didn’t deserve the title, how they had worked harder to earn their measly titles, how it was his Father’s influence alone that got him where he was. The words cut through him like a blade. It was fully in his right to punish them then, or even get a glimpse at their faces to treat them accordingly at a later date. Yet, Castiel couldn’t bring himself to do either. If those men felt that way, then whose to say the rest didn’t also? It was a problem he had never expected to encounter.

After that, Castiel started noticing the disrespect more often. It was so subtle that he doubted anyone would’ve noticed it unless they were looking for it specifically, even the other Commanding Officers. He had always felt he was a good fit for the position, even if it was a little higher than he needed. It was a title, that was it, when all Castiel wanted was a Ship beneath his feet. Even if he had been a lowly servant boy, he still would’ve been grateful just to be out at Sea. Or at least he thought.

It happened faster than he could process. The cannons, the gunfire, the swords. They all appeared as if from nowhere. Before he knew it, more than half his crew was dead, he saw some surrendering, yet others still fought. With the Captain nowhere in site, it was Castiel’s call on what to do. Fight or surrender. If he didn’t tell his crew to surrender now, the individuals who had done so by themselves would be labeled as cowards. Smart cowards. With the living versus the dead, they were heavily outnumbered now. It was a battle they couldn’t win. But, surrender was the cowards way out. He should fight. He pulled out his Pistol, drawing it on a man who was taller than he had seen these parts of the world. Before he could pull the trigger, everything went black.


	2. Chapter 2

Castiel awoke to a throbbing headache and a blindfold around his eyes. His hands were tied behind his back, and he wasn’t alone. From what whispers he could hear, he figured what was left of his crew was in the same predicament he was in. How many of them had been taken as prisoners? Was that all that were left alive? It was a chilling thought. He didn’t hear that many voices. A thud sounded off, followed by heavy footsteps. They were stowed away in some sort of holding cell or maybe even the cargo hold. If he had to guess it sounded like there were at least five people approaching.

“Who’s in charge here?” The voice was odd. Castiel hadn’t had the chance to converse with many Pirates in his life time, any in fact, but he had expected something different. Ugly, old, rotten. Whoever was speaking to him didn’t sound like any of that. In his head he counted to five, waiting for his Captain’s reply. When it didn’t come, his stomach sank.

“I am.” His voice was a lot more confident than he felt on the inside. Pirates were known for all sorts of bad things. The best case scenario was they were being held for ransom, though if they didn’t recognize Castiel’s status yet, they probably didn’t know the price his Father would be willing to pay for him. He had done it on a few occasions for some of his other Brothers. The worse scenario was they were being held as slaves or getting sold into slavery. If it came to that, Castiel would barter his heritage for what was left of his crew. Any amount of his Father’s money would be better than serving these animals. Then, just because he was feeling bitter about the whole situation, he added, just as confidently, “Though I’m not surprised you couldn’t tell by my clothing alone. I’m a Lieutenant after all, not some common, filthy Pirate.”

The sting from the slap across his cheek was worth it. Though he did have enough sense not to smile about it.

“Enough.” The voice came again. Clearly the one talking wasn’t the one doing the hitting. “So tell me Lieutenant, what are you willing to do to save your crew?”

What was he willing to do? His best choice was still to reveal his lineage, let them know he was worth a lot alive, and hope that would save his crew also. But, maybe he should hold that back for now and save it for later.

“That all depends on what you want.”

“Gold, money, immunity, the World on a Silver Platter. You name it, we want it.” Castiel thought that was a strange choice of words. ‘We’. Clearly this was the Captain he was speaking to, but he had always known Pirates to be selfish. We indicated he was looking out for someone else. Was it one person? A select few? Or maybe he was watching out for his whole crew? It was interesting to say the least.

“The more of my Men that you saved, the more you can ransom them for. I sail with some of the finest Men in the Royal Navy. They’re worth a lot.” But I’m worth more. Still, he felt like he should hold onto that little piece of information.

“Then the rest of your ships must be useless. Your crew fought and lost.” A woman said and Castiel nearly popped his neck out place whipping his head to look in the direction the voice came from, even though he couldn’t see out from behind the blindfold. Not only was it extremely bad luck to have a women aboard a ship, but there were many other reasons it was unsavory to do so. Namely that it was a women alone with a bunch of Men. The lowest of the low on top of that. Castiel could guess her position here and felt such a sorrow in his heart. The poor girl probably didn’t know any better. “Though if they had just surrendered, I wouldn’t have had to kill them all.”

Kill them? Castiel felt those words like another slap to the face. The fact that she said ‘kill them all’ made him question how many of them had truly made it out alive. But, the most confusing part of it all was that she had said it. She killed them. She was allowed to fight. That was unheard of. “You?”

Another slap to his face barely affected him at all. It felt the same as before, meaning it had probably been her both times. Normally he would have a lot more respect in front of a Lady, but something told him she wasn’t like most he had met before. If she could handle a sword or a gun and the daunting task of killing men, she could handle whatever he had to say. “Is there a problem with that?”

“Some would say.” He replied, still unsure of himself. “Though I would say you had an unfair advantage. My crew has the respect not to hurt a Lady.”

“Yeah, they usually do.” She chuckled. “Sometimes the surprise gives me an upper hand. But it isn’t my fault they can only see me for my breasts and not the way I swing a sword.”

Truthfully, that made sense to Castiel. A threat is a threat, no matter what shape it came in. A lot of men probably saw a damsel in distress with a pack of nasty pirates, when in reality she was just as brutal as her crew-mates. “A reasonable statement. But we were talking about my crews release?”

“We were.” The Captain spoke up again. “You were saying I could get a heft bounty for a lot of you. But, since there isn’t a lot of you, I suppose I’ll just sell you off to the highest bidder.”

The body tied up next to his stiffened. He heard a few gasps from around him. Getting sold into slavery was the exact thing he was trying to avoid.

“Wait. I’m worth a lot of money on my own.” He sat up straight and put on his bravest face. Of course he was scared, he would be crazy not to be, but they didn’t need to see that. “I come from a very wealthy family, and I’ll make sure you get a fair price and safe passage away for the safe return of myself and my crew.”

“I told you.” A third voice said. Another man. “I recognized the pin.”

That made Castiel flinch. The pin he wore on his chest was one his entire family wore also. It was their family crest, why wouldn’t he wear it at all times? Maybe that was the only reason he was still alive right now. Someone recognized it and knew what he would be worth. He wasn’t sure whether or not he should be grateful for that.

“Well when you’re right you’re right, Sammy.” The Captain said. Footsteps sounded off, indicating their retreat back up the stairs. Castiel could only hope that deal would go down as smoothly as he promised. The sooner the better. He couldn’t stand waiting.


	3. Chapter 3

They weren’t fed until what Castiel assumed was the next day. By then, he had found out that only ten of his original crew remained. A few of them said others made it out alive and escaped on makeshift rafts, but being out on the open Ocean in anything other than a ship was dangerous. They would perish if they weren’t found soon. Castiel held out hope though. Ten men wasn’t nearly enough.

They were crammed into a tiny prison cell and untied. Little food, little water. Enough to keep them going, and that was it. It must mean they were far enough away from a port that their Captives didn’t want them dead before they got there. From the voices he heard from the few people that came down to check on them, antagonize them, or grab supplies, none of them were the Captain again. The Lady Pirate came down once, and was every bit as fierce as when he had only heard her voice. Flaming red hair framed a pale face, seemingly in a permanent sneer. A man from his crew made a silent passing remark about her body and without hesitation, she reached in between the bars and grabbed him by his shirt before pulling him forward to slam his face repeatedly against the bars. Castiel couldn’t remember the man’s name, but he did remember his face. He was always in trouble, and even in a dangerous situation, he was still managing to make things worse for himself. Castiel didn’t even try to hide his smirk from her as she dropped the struggling man back to the floor.

Their journey lasted about three more days after that, though if it was more or less, he couldn’t be sure. There were no windows this far down on the ship, only one lonely lamp, and they weren’t given regularly scheduled meals. The only way he could count the time passing was with how many times he internally groaned at something one of his crew-mates said. It was nearly once a minute. He had never had to sleep in the same quarters as them before, so he hadn’t realized how truly dull and boring they were.

When they were finally tied back up, Castiel was sure he was the only one to be blindfolded again. No one else stumbled up the stairs nearly as bad as he did. They stood there silently for an eternity, unmoving. Finally, he heard the rowing of a paddle boat back their way. That must’ve meant negotiations were done. Since no one was firing on them, he assumed everything went according to plan. Confusion washed over him once more as he was held back. He could clearly hear his men descending into the tiny boat to make their way to safety, and yet he wasn’t allowed.

“What’s happening?” It didn’t help that he was still blindfolded. Maybe he could see the answer to his question float by his face.

“You don’t get to leave just yet.” The second man’s voice from the first night said near his ear. “We give them their men, they give us the money, we sail safely away with you, then leave you at a pre-picked destination to be picked up.”

“They get their men, you get your money and your freedom.” Castiel finished the unspoken sentence. It made sense. That was the only sure fire way they would escape unharmed. With an important hostage. “Smart.”

“It wouldn’t kill you to sound a little less surprised.” The Captain said from the other side of him. He was surprised he had learned the man’s voice so fast.

“I am surprised. I was told you were all Primitive Apes. They were wrong.” Castiel told them and meant it. There was such a low opinion of Pirates around that he was genuinely and truly surprised that they were smart enough to not only come up with a plan like this, but to also get others to agree to it.

“Of course they were.” The Captain told him, and then the Ship was sailing away. Away from home. Away from safety. Maybe Castiel should’ve been afraid, but he couldn’t bring himself to be. A prick of excitement flashed through his body and he couldn’t help but feel like something great was about to happen.


	4. Chapter 4

Eventually someone took off Castiel’s blind fold. He recognized him as the one he had been about to shoot before he was knocked out. The very tall one with long hair. He looked much younger up close. How did young boys like this end up in such a bad place, before their lives even had a chance to truly begin? He was tall but muscular. The Navy would’ve snatched him up with pleasure. That would’ve been a much better life to live, right?

“If I take those off, are you going to behave?” He asked Castiel, nodding at the mans tied hands. He recognized the voice as the man who had been with the Captain and the Lady.

“Well there’s not much I can do without getting myself thrown overboard.”

The man laughed and untied him. They both knew it was true. Castiel was so close to freedom, he would be a fool to risk that all now. Sure they were bringing him to ‘another location’, but he didn’t know if that was a day away or a week away, or even how long his rescuers had been instructed to wait before coming after him. His Father was a Commodore. If they didn’t follow specific instructions and ended up getting Castiel killed, then they better hope the Pirates kill them also, or the Commodore would do worse. Of course he loved his Father, but that didn’t make the man any less terrifying.

“Sam.” The man stuck out his hand to shake. Pirates with manners? Castiel would’ve laughed, except he did have manners, and that would’ve been rude. Instead he shook the hand firmly, surprised that the grip he received back wasn’t flimsy. It was experienced. Interesting.

“Castiel.”

He saw how Sam’s eyebrows raised quickly before going back down, trying to hide the reaction. It was something he was used to. Odd reactions to such an ‘odd’ name. For some time it had bothered him, but he got over it very quickly. His Father was a very religious man and had named all of his children after Angels. Castiel had thought his name was bad, but Lucifer probably had it the worst. Often he wondered if it was a coincidence his Brother had turned into such a bad egg, or if the name he had been given had any influence on his actions at all. 

Sam showed him around, naming off a few other crewmembers. The Lady was named Charlie, a strange choice for a woman, but she had already proven that she wasn’t like most women. The Captain was nowhere in sight. What threw him off guard was how beautiful the Ship was. It was so cleaned and polished, he could only imagine how it looked from a distance. Probably just as nice. Though he wasn’t sure how he had never heard tales of this ship before, surly something as breathtaking as this vessel would have tales attached to it.

“Absolutely breathtaking.” Castiel said to Sam, but mainly to himself as he ran a hand along the dark wood of the banister.

“She is, isn’t she?” A voice said. Castiel turned to face a man coming out of a room. The Captain’s quarters. But if this was the Captain, Castiel would eat his own hat, well, he would’ve if his hat hadn’t been lost in the attack. The man before him was so young. All the Captain’s Castiel had served under had been aged by war. White hair, wrinkled faces, and this man had none of it. His short hair seemed a light shade of brown until he stepped into the light, where it turned a shade of blonde Castiel was sure he’d never seen before. Big green eyes stared into his own. Freckles splattered across the chiseled face. This man could’ve been an angel, not the Captain of this Ship. Though from his voice, Castiel knew he was wrong. He had the same voice as the faceless Captain.

“Didn’t get to help build her, though I wish I did. Dad did it way before we were born.” The Captain said. It took a second for Castiel to catch up with his words however, because he was still trying to count the freckles he saw.

“We?”

“Castiel,” Sam said from behind him. “This is my Brother, Dean. Unfortunately, he’s the Captain around here.”

“Castiel?” The Captain asked, not trying to hid the look on his face like his Brother had. “That’s strange. A mouthful, too.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard the name Dean around these parts.” Castiel replied. Clearly Dean knew he was right and wasn’t ready to fight over who had the stranger name.

“Not really from here, Cas.” Dean started walking and gestured for him to follow. Cas? No one had ever given him a nickname like that before. He wasn’t really sure how to feel about it.

“Well I would’ve guess that about your Brother. He has manners like I haven’t seen in boys around here before. Shook my hand and everything.” Castiel was willing to bet Sam did a lot more than just shake hands. So far he had been uncharacteristically nice to him for a Pirate dealing with a prisoner. “Though you’re a little less…refined.”

Dean whipped around and looked at him strangely before smirking and capturing his hand in his own to shake it. Castiel bristled at the touch. It was different than the handshake with Sam, though he wasn’t sure why. “Hi, I’m Dean, welcome aboard my ship. It’s a pleasure to whisk you away against your will.”

The wink that followed nearly made Castiel weak at the knees. Nearly. He couldn’t help but slide his hand out of the other man’s grasp. It simultaneously made him feel better and worse at the same time.

“Look, sorry it had to be this way, but we were paid a lot of money to raid your ship. The fighting, well your men were told to stand down, and they didn’t.” Dean shrugged at him. It was awful, but he understood. If they had taken a Pirate ship into custody that refused to surrender, they would fight to the death also. If anything, Castiel was lucky to still be alive.

“You saw my pin and decided to let me live?” Castiel couldn’t help but ask. It was a silly question, especially when there were plenty of other things to ask. Where are we going? When will we get there? How long until my rescue?

“Yes. That was Sammy. He’s smart with stuff like that.” Dean went to look at his Brother, but seemed to notice then that Sam must’ve slipped away a while ago. Castiel hadn’t noticed until now either. “Don’t worry though, we’ll have you somewhere safe soon enough. We just have to make quick stop first.”


	5. Chapter 5

As it turned out ‘soon’ wasn’t soon enough. The first night, Sam led Castiel back to the prison cell to have him sleep there, probably as a ‘just in case’ measure. The next day he was put to work, like the rest of the crew. It was work he had hardly ever had to do before, and for a brief moment he remembered the faceless crew members that had complained about his unfair rise to power. Maybe he was too privileged for his own good. There was nothing he could do about it now, however. He could comply or he could go overboard, dead or alive. So, he scrubbed the floors like he had never scrubbed before. At least he was fed when everyone else was fed. That night he was led back to his cell. He had the faint thought that he never heard the lock click behind him, though he was too exhausted to notice. He was asleep the second his head hit the blanket wadded up into a pillow that laid on the wooden floor. His body was stiff from sleeping on the floor, sore from working the day before. The only thing that managed to get him up was Charlie clanging on the bars.

“Breakfast time, Pretty Boy.” She said, though the compliment didn’t reach her eyes. She looked like she would rather be anywhere but there.

“Thanks, Milady.” He said, walking past her towards the stairs. His body screamed in pain as he was slammed against the wall.

“Don’t call me that.” She demanded as she walked past him. The only thing he could do was roll his eyes. Milady wasn’t the right title for her, she deserved something more fighting, like warrior or maybe even Satan.

“Understood.” Is what Castiel called after her, before he trudged up the stairs behind her.

The more he ate, the more he wondered if the food they had been eating was taken off his own Ship. They had been paid to raid it for the weapons, but they probably didn’t leave the food behind. Or the supplies. It should’ve enraged him, but he could only feel relief that nothing had gone to waste. At least someone was using the much needed supplies. That day was much like the day before. Menial tasks that he had learned in passing how to do, but never had to actually preform. He should’ve been angry that they were using him as a slave. In fact that’s exactly what he hadn’t wanted to happen to him. Yet, he wasn’t mad. In a weird way, Castiel sort of felt content. He was preforming these tasks along side others, all sharing in the work, even First-Mate Sam. No one gave him looks like he didn’t belong where he was, no one said things about him behind his back. Everyone was as kind to him as they were to each other, which varied from minute to minute. But none of it mattered, because he was finally an equal. In the worst situation possible, he was finally content with his position. It wasn’t something he liked to dwell on, because the thought that he could be happy with Pirates was nearly treason in itself.

The worst thing was how hard Castiel found it to tear his eyes off the Captain. He told himself that it was because Dean was a strange Captain. He interacted with the crew like they were his friends rather than his crew. Never in his life had he seen that kind of dynamic in a crew. The weirdest part was that it worked. Of course, they weren’t 100% harmonious, no crew was, but they were pretty damn close. So at first, that was Castiel’s reason for staring at Dean so much. He was a great Captain, and in line for Captain himself, Castiel hoped to gain a lot from watching him.

That was his reason until it wasn’t. Day after day, Castiel would get up and mimic the pirates around him, yet the only difference was that any free time he had, his eyes were spent looking for Dean. Most of the time his head was covered with a Captain’s hat, which was fitting, but Castiel couldn’t ignore the way his breath caught in his throat whenever he saw Dean’s hair shimmer in the sunlight. Or the way his green eyes flared into a thousand different shades with the sunlight. Or the way the sunlight highlighted each and every freckle splattered across his face in the most flattering way. Basically anything with sunlight and Dean made Castiel’s heart race. Though, to be fair on himself, he felt the same way even at night, when the cool night breeze rippled through Dean’s jet black clothes, making them ripple.

It had been no secret to himself that he was interested in men in an unsavory way. That was the only reason he had put off marriage for so long. Of course, he knew he would have to take a wife eventually and start a family, but he had a good few years before people started questioning his motives. He planned to savor every second of it. And savor it he did, by lusting after yet another man he couldn’t have.

Castiel had stopped counting the days. When he was enjoying his time as much as he had been, there was no reason to keep track of time. Yet one day he woke up and saw land on the horizon. He figured today was the day. The day he would go back to his normal, average life. Back to a normal, average crew that thought he was an entitled brat. To marry a normal, average women that he wouldn’t be able to stand and have normal, average kids that he would love regardless. There shouldn’t have been a pain in his chest at the thought. He should’ve been glad he was going home soon. The thought of escaping a crew of Pirates should elate him. Yet, he felt so hollow that he forgot how to breathe for a few seconds.

“Everything will be fine.” Castiel lied to himself. Maybe if he said it on repeat, he would start to believe it.


	6. Chapter 6

By the time they had docked to shore, Castiel had practically beaten himself into submission. Sure being kidnapped and enslaved by Pirates had turned into the single best thing of his life, but he had duties to fulfill and he needed to get back to them. Maybe with time he would feel like he was making the right decision.

“You ever been here before?” Sam’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Castiel looked around and vaguely recognized some of the buildings and landmarks.

“I think my Father took us here when I was a child.” Castiel couldn’t remember the name of the place or why they had come. He thought Father might have some friends around. If he could just remember the way there, they would probably host him until his rescue crew came for him. “I don’t remember much of it. It was mostly business, I’m sure.”

“We stop here from time to time. It’s nice. In fact, I made a friend here… I think the two of you should meet.”

“Oh.” What an odd request. Castiel wasn’t sure he should be associating himself with Pirates around a town where people may or may not know him. For good measure, he took off the pin of his family crest and shoved it in his pocket. If it meant that his new friends would spend a little extra time with him, Castiel would meet anyone they wanted. “They must be great then. Or willing to pay a bigger price for me than my Father had.”

Sam laughed. They were smart enough not to double cross the Commodore. Though at this point, being sold off to another ship, even one less wonderful than Dean’s was starting to sound like a better option. Only Him and the Ocean and no responsibilities. His feet froze in place on the steps, unaware at just how unwilling he had been to leave. A body rammed into the back of his and he went sprawling forward until a hand reached out and caught him by the arm.

“Stairs are for walking, not stopping.” Dean told him, still holding onto Castiel’s arm. Maybe he was imagining it, but the touch lingered for longer than it probably should’ve.

“My apologies.” Castiel muttered, looking anywhere but at those gorgeous green orbs. The last thing he needed was yet another reason to abandon his responsibilities, and Heaven knew a beautiful face wasn’t a good enough excuse to destroy his life and shame his family.

“No worries.” Dean finally let go and Castiel was already yearning for his touch again. “Sammy tell you where we’re headed first?”

“He said he had a friend for me to meet.” Castiel stood off to the side with Sam and Dean, watching as the rest of the crew ambushed the town, ready to drink the town dry. He had heard the whispers of a few stories, but essentially he understood Prostitutes weren’t allowed on the Ship anymore. It was a direct order from the Captain himself.

“Not much of a friend, but yeah.” Dean didn’t look impressed. Whoever this was clearly struck a nerve with the young Captain. “It’s worth the trip though.”

They made their way down a busy cobbled street, brushing through crowds and past carts. One of the reasons Castiel enjoyed being at Sea so much was that it was never as busy as it was on land. There weren’t a ton of ships out and about, and the Royal Navy had such large Ships that the were never crowded with men. The ocean was more open, more free. Castiel couldn’t keep the look of disgust off his face as people bumped into him from all sides. After an eternity, they made their way to a tall fancy building towards the edge of town. How did a pair of Pirates know someone who lived in a house this nice? The thought made him blush. It was a rude assumption and he was grateful he was the only one who could hear the question. Sam and Dean had turned out to be very decent people, the fact that they were Pirates shouldn’t keep them from having associates in high places.

Sam lead them to one side of the house and knocked on the side door in a sort of pattern. After a few seconds a woman opened it. She was old and dirty and barely spared Castiel a glance before she was ushering them in to a room with a couch, then she was off again, presumably to find whoever lived there. Dean sprawled out on the couch, letting a foot dangle off the arm. Sam sat on the other arm, looking like he’d been there a million times before. Perhaps he had. Castiel just stood, uncomfortably. Whoever lived there had impeccable taste, a bit strange, but in a way he thoroughly enjoyed.

“So, you have a big family?” Dean asked out of the blue, breaking the silence. 

“I do.” He had one of the biggest families around. His Father had been married four times. Wife after wife had died for one reason or another. Castiel’s own Mother had died during childbirth with him. The new Lady of the house had never bore any children, making Castiel the last born. Sometimes being the youngest had its perks, but most of the time it meant that there were countless older siblings to pick on him. “I have many Brother’s and Sister’s. I’m the youngest.”

“Glad to hear Pop’s finally stopped trying to breed an army.” A familiar voice said from the doorway. Castiel turned in shock only to come face to face with someone he hadn’t seen in years. He was older and had grown out his hair, yet those golden brown eyes looked just as mischievous as the day he had left. “Hiya, Cassie.”

“Gabriel?”


	7. Chapter 7

Without thinking, Castiel was moving to embrace his Brother. It was something they had rarely done in childhood, but he couldn’t help himself now. It had been years since he last saw Gabriel, and a hug was the only thing that seemed right.

“Miss me much?” Gabriel’s tone suggested a mocking attitude, but the way he held on just as desperately to Castiel revealed his true feelings. Sure, Castiel missed his Brother, he had since he left, but at least he had the rest of his family. Gabriel had no one.

“Not even a little.” Castiel replied. Being mean was how Gabriel had always shown affection. Pulling away, he looked at his older Brother, taking in his appearance. In the years he had been away, he had gained weight, grown out his hair, and shaved off the beard Father encouraged all of them to grow. The good appearance, the fancy clothes, the giant house, Gabriel was doing well for himself. “Is this place yours?”

“It is. Nice isn’t it?” Gabriel walked to the other side of the room and sat in the arm chair, waving at Sam, yet ignoring Dean. “You must have a lot of questions, but I’m sworn to secrecy. Though, you’re hanging out with a bunch of Pirates, so I’ll let you fill in the blanks as to how I got where I am.”

Illegally. Gabriel was always good with getting out of trouble, so it wasn’t really a surprise that he was doing so well for himself instead of rotting away in some prison cell. It was better if Castiel didn’t know the details to what he was really doing though. He can’t rat out his Brother if he didn’t know what he was doing. Ignorance is bliss.

“As for you being here, well I have a deal with these boys.” Gabriel continued, gesturing at Sam and Dean. Dean did his part of being angry and broody by fiddling with a bit of rope, refusing to look at Gabriel. “They see that crest, they bring them to me.”

Of course. It explains why Sam knew who he was. He was being paid to reunite Gabriel with Family. Dean’s crew had slaughtered almost all of Castiel’s men. That pin was the only reason he was alive. Well, the pin and Gabriel’s money.

“Who else?” Castiel wanted to know who else had gone against Father’s wishes and seen Gabriel after he had been kicked out of the family. No one had ever mentioned meeting up with Gabriel.

“So far? Anna and Balthazar. Though these two air heads had the common sense not to forcefully take her to me. Just met her in town and told her how to get to me. She wasn’t happy to see me, of course, but she came anyways. Hasn’t been back since.”

Learning that it was Anna stung more than if it was any of his other Siblings. Anna had never lied to him before. Or so he thought, but now…who knew? As for Balthazar, well that was more reasonable. It could’ve even happened just before his Ship went down, in which case Balthazar hadn’t kept anything from Castiel, he just simply never got the chance to tell him. The two of them had always been close and the news of his death nearly broke Castiel. It had been barely a year, did Gabriel even know?

“Gabriel,” He tried to soften his face, which had taken on a sort of uncomfortable grimace since he’d been there. “Balthazar is gone. About a year ago, his Ship sank. There were no survivors. The wreckage… it was bad.”

“Oh, Castiel, I would’ve at least thought he told you.” Gabriel’s eyes were so sad, it nearly knocked him off his feet. He watched in confusion as Gabriel walked over to a table and opened on of the drawers. He came back with a stack of papers, which he handed over to Castiel. All of them letters, all of them from Balthazar. The last one had been dated a week ago.

“I don’t understand.” Was the only thing he could whisper, but he did understand. It made him nauseous.

“Balthazar made it out. He’s alive.” Gabriel lowered Castiel into the chair he had previously occupied. He was grateful for the seat since his knees felt so weak all of a sudden.

“Where is he? Why? Why didn’t he tell us? Everyone thought him dead. I thought he was dead. I mourned him. It’s been a year!” If Sam or Dean noticed the way his voice cracked or the tears that streamed down his face, neither of them said anything. They just sat there looking very interested in the fabric of their own pants.

“Like I said, I thought he would’ve told you.” Gabriel’s firm hand gripped his shoulder tight and squeezed. “Lucky for you, I know where he is, or at least I will, when I get his letter. It should be here tomorrow, or the day after by the latest. He always checks in once a week.”

“I….” There was so much going through his mind. He needed to see Balthazar with his own eyes. It had been so long. The two of them were the closest in age, therefore they practically grew up doing everything together. When his Balthazar had ‘died’, Castiel lost a Brother and a Friend. Now his heart ached, torn open from the new wound. Yet the pain was different this time. It was the pain of betrayal. “I need to see him. Maybe Father’s men could take me?”

“Absolutely not. Balthazar doesn’t want to be found. Something tells me he’ll make an exception for you. Boys!” Gabriel caught Sam’s eyes, and gave him a sweet smile. “Up for a little job?”

“As long as the money’s good, I’m up for anything.” Dean replied.

“My money is always good. You bring little Cassie to Balthazar and I’ll make it worth the trip.”

Dean looked at Castiel, and it was like time froze still. If he was about to go on a journey with this man, he would have to get these feelings under control. “Deal.”


	8. Chapter 8

Castiel spent a little more time catching up with his Brother. Gabriel fed the three of them, commenting on how lean Castiel had become. It was hard to keep on weight when you were on such a strict diet. All good things eventually come to an end, and Gabriel sent them on their way.

“My house is always open to you, Castiel… Just not tonight. Trust me, there’s going to be a lot of questionable people here and some heavily illegal activity. I don’t want you mixed up in any of that.” Is what Gabriel told him. They hugged once more with a promise to meet up again the next day to find out where they would be heading to find Balthazar. It was nearly dark now and the streets were much less crowded. Castiel liked it better like this.

“Thank you for letting me spend the night.” Castiel said quietly, walking between Sam and Dean.

“Don’t worry about it. You’re our problem now, until we find your Brother. Besides, I’ve seen you work with the crew. You’re good.” Dean glanced his way and flashed him a smile that made Castiel’s heart flutter. “If you ever change your mind about what’s ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, I’d happily welcome you to my crew.”

Castiel didn’t know what to say to that, so he just smiled in reply. Of course he would love to be whisked away by some handsome Pirate and live happily ever after. But, he was a realist, and knew that it was just a dream and could never happen. He had a life, he had duties, and he was a good son that would fulfill them. The sound of shrieks and laughter filled the air as they got closer to some sort of Tavern. To his dismay Sam and Dean ushered him inside with them. It was a shady, sleazy, dirty place that Castiel wanted nothing to do with. Unfortunately since he didn’t know his way back to Dean’s Ship, he had to follow his Chauffeurs around. At least this way he could ogle Dean for a little while longer.

“Hey, Captain.” A large busted woman said in a sultry voice, practically throwing herself at Dean. Castiel couldn’t help but let a sour expression slip onto his face as the lady rubbed at Dean’s arm. “When you said you’d be back to see me, I had no idea it would be so soon.”

“Uh, not tonight, sweetheart” Dean told her, pulling his arm out of her grasp. The woman looked utterly shocked, but Castiel hardly noticed. He was too busy trying to interpret the look Dean had given him when he rejected the Bimbo. Perhaps he was embarrassed for being outed for hiring Prostitutes. Castiel, after all, was still in the Royal Navy and could technically have Dean arrested for partaking in such activities. Not that he would. The thought of Dean locked away in some Prison cell instead of being free at sea was bad enough, but he was a known Pirate and would likely see a noose rather than the bars of any cell.

Dean had to refuse two more Ladies of the Night before the rest of them seemed to take the hint. Every time one of them even looked at Dean, Castiel couldn’t help but bristle up. Thankfully no one seemed to notice. Rarely had Castiel ever drank, much less as much as he was now, but Dean kept having their mugs refilled, and who was Castiel to refuse? They were being so generous, it seemed rude not to drink with them. He listened to tale after tale of thrilling, illegal stories from the Brothers. Occasionally he would hear whispers from other tables wondering about who he was. If any of them noticed his Naval Uniform, they had the common sense not to mention it.

“Well if it isn’t the Captain and his magnificent First Mate!” A voice said from behind him. Castiel turned to see a raven haired young woman squeezed into a dress that made her bosom pop in a scandalous way. “Who’s this handsome fella?”

Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was that he had never seen a woman that he was even mildly attracted to, much less thought was absolutely stunning, but Castiel didn’t even realize she had been talking about him. He just stared at her like an idiot.

“This is Cas. He’s a friend. Helping him out on something.” Dean replied for him. The realization that he had been called Cas instead of Castiel was enough to snap him out of his drunken infatuation with the woman.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, I’m Meg.” She told him as she pulled up a chair. It must’ve just been for show since she was practically sitting in his lap now. Castiel had never been in a situation like this before, never even wanted to be in this situation, and was unsure of what to do. On one hand, he could barely think straight, but on the other hand Meg smelled wonderful and had such an appealing face. “Are you mute or just shy?”

“I think he’s just had a little too much to drink.” Sam told her. Castiel was a little embarrassed that everyone had to talk for him.

“Nice to meet you, too, Meg.” He finally managed to get the words out, though even in this state he could tell his words were slurring.

“Ah the pretty boy does have a voice. Though not exactly what I was expecting.” Her hand rested on Castiel’s knee under the table where no one could see it. But with the way it made him jump, he was sure Sam and Dean had a good idea of what was happening just out of eyesight. Ever so slowly the hand trailed up and down his leg, never going past the halfway mark in his thigh.

“Meg, don’t you have anything better to do than harass my business partner?” Dean snapped at her. Business partner? The only one Dean was doing business with was Gabriel.

“Such a bad Captain. Wont even let your crew have a little fun.” She rolled her eyes and withdrew her hand, getting up from her seat. She gave Castiel a wink, then leaned in to whisper in his ear, loud enough for Sam and Dean to hear her also. “If you change your mind, I’m not hard to find.”

Then she sauntered away like she owned the very ground she walked on, and from the way people stepped out of her way, Castiel thought maybe she did. Even the other Prostitutes around seemed to either be wary of her or in awe. Meg must’ve been important around that Tavern. She was out of the building by the time he finally tore his eyes away from her backside only to find Sam and Dean staring at him. Sam looked amused, like he was trying not to laugh directly in Castiel’s face. Dean looked… Angry? Upset? Castiel wasn’t sure, but he knew he didn’t like the look the Captain was throwing at him. Dean and Meg probably had some bad history.

“Geez, Cas,” Dean said, using the nickname again. It made Castiel blush, though he hoped no one would think twice about it. It could’ve been in response to anything that happened in the past few minutes. “Don’t act like you’ve never seen a hooker before. She’s not even the best looking broad in here.”

Castiel sure thought she was, but he wasn’t about to tell Dean that. He didn’t want to get on his bad side. “I’ve heard the stories, but I’ve never… That’s the first time that’s happened to me”

“The first time you’ve seen a prostitute or the first time that ones been all over you like you were the last man around?” Sam asked him. When Castiel wouldn’t answer, or even look at the man, Sam laughed at him again. “Oh so it’s both. That’s.. That’s just… Wow.”

“You act like you’ve never even been with a woman before.” Dean’s words made Castiel tense up. Of course it was a sin to sleep with a woman before marriage, a ladies purity was the most important thing in the Church. But, that didn’t mean it never happened. Women who sold their bodies, or laid with the men they courted happened all the time, though no one ever talked about it. It would be perfectly reasonable if Castiel had slept with at least one woman before, but he hadn’t, and it wasn’t exactly like he could explain to them why not. So, he just looked into the depths of his nearly empty mug, unable to escape the white hot burning of his cheeks. “Wait, you mean you haven’t? Like, ever? That’s wrong. It’s just not right!”

Sam looked just as shocked as Dean, though he didn’t say anything. Castiel was greatful for that. Dean frowned and chugged the rest of his drink. “Find one, any one, I’ll pay. Even if it’s Meg.”

“I beg your pardon?” It almost sounded like Dean was trying to buy him a night with a Prostitute. That was absurd, and not something he was interested in even in the slightest.

“Pick a girl, it’s my treat. No man should die a virgin.” Dean looked dead serious. But who said anything about dying? Before he could ask about it, Dean was pointing at an extremely dirty looking lady in the corner. “Any one but her. She’s got sores and I hear they spread.”

Ew. Castiel tried desperately to keep that image out of his mind to no avail. Instead, he looked at all the girls around the Tavern. None of them looked interesting enough to catch his eye. The only one that seemed even mildly worth it was Meg, and even then, he wasn’t sure he wanted to do that with her. But before he could protest, Sam and Dean were getting up to walk away. Sam claimed tiredness, heading back to the Ship. Dean said he was going to find Meg.

Minute after minute ticked by, and Castiel sat alone at the table, unwilling to look at any of the faces of people surrounding him. They were minding their business, he would mind his. Yet the more time that passed, the more worried he became. What if Dean had left him? What if Dean was occupied? Or arrested? Panic started to set in, carrying Castiel up put of his seat and around the Tavern. With too many people brushing into him from all sides, he decided to check for Dean outside. After all, that’s where Meg had gone. He stumbled through the door and nearly fell on his face. The entire world was spinning. Leaning on the side of the building for a few minutes seemed to help, and after a while he was up and on the move again.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***** Brief mentions of attempted rape, please be warned

The only relief Castiel found was that there was hardly anyone outside to judge him for his drunkenness. A few people shuffled their way in the opposite direction of him, hardly sparing him a glance. At least no one would see him stumbling down the street like an idiot. Left foot right foot, left foot right foot. He had to remind himself how to walk and it wasn’t easy. Before he could even process what was happening, he was hitting the ground with a thud. It was like being weightless. Painless. The ground was soft, comforting, the filth didn’t even bother him. Castiel knew he would be feeling it in the morning.

When he finally managed to pull himself off the ground, Castiel needed to rest up against the building again. Fortunately for him, the side alley wall was right in arms reach. The building was cool against his back, in contrast to the warm night air. Or maybe Castiel was just warm from drinking too much, he couldn’t be sure. Barely any light from the moon was shining down around him, though there was just enough for him to see a figure down the alley. He was the same height as Dean, and in Castiel’s alcohol-muddled mind, that meant that it was Dean. Stumbling down the alley with a hand on the wall, he slowly made his way to Dean. It never occurred to him that there was about a hundred other men in the general area that could be standing there at that moment. And it only occurred to him that the figure could’ve been dangerous once it was too late.

“Well looky here.” The man was reaching out towards Castiel, who tried backing up, only to hit the wall. “What’s a pretty boy like you doing back here? I bet you came to find me, huh?”

“No, I, uh.” Castiel managed to get those words out before rough hands were grabbing at his arms.

“Let me get a look at that beautiful face.” A calloused hand grabbed his face and squeezed his cheeks, making his lips puff out in a kissy way. Castiel started to panic. His entire body felt sluggish and unmovable, yet his heart was racing. His hands weakly flung out in an attempt to push the man away. All he could smell was alcohol, rotten breath, and fear. Though he was fairly sure the fear was his own and that maybe it was more of a taste than a smell. It tasted like bile and blood. Blood. It filled his mouth, covering his tongue, sliding down his throat. He had bitten his lip hard enough to bleed, and still felt nothing but panic and the hot burn of tears prickling at his eyes.

“Stop.” Castiel’s voice was weak. His body was weak. His mind was weak. He was giving it his all, but it wasn’t enough. Little by little, more of his clothing was coming off, and he was having an extremely difficult time not throwing up. It threatened to come up, and Castiel would’ve been glad, it might even deter his attacker. But, no matter how much he wanted to puke, and no matter how much his body wanted to, it just wouldn’t happen. “Please.”

“Hush now. This’ll go a whole lot smoother if you stop fighting me.” Castiel couldn’t see the man anymore, but he could feel the hot breath on his ear. It made him shiver. Castiel had been to battle before. He had seen his Brother’s in arms die. He had stared down the barrel of a gun. Yet nothing had made him feel as terrified as he did now. In one last desperate attempt to get away, he whimpered and shoved the man as hard as he could.

It didn’t work. The slap to his cheek was the only thing that really hurt. Not the way he hit the wall on his way down or even his head slamming onto the filthy cobble road below him. Maybe he could crawl away. Castiel barely got to his hands and knees before he was being pulled up by his hair.

“I said not to fight me. Now I’m going to have to teach you a lesson. A shame, too, with a face like yours.”

Punch after punch landed on his face. The dull sting was nothing. It was better than whatever else the man had planned. He was on the ground again, with a boot dug into his side. Castiel had tried being quiet, really he had. If anyone found him like this, there would be a big misunderstanding. He was practically naked with another man beating on him. They would assume he was the one who had tried something. That in itself could be a lot more dangerous than the position he was in now. So the whole time he bit his lip, holding in the screams he would love to let out. But, when that heavy, dirty boot connected with his ribcage, he couldn’t hold it in anymore. It was a mix of a shriek and a garbled cry. It stung the inside of his throat and made him gasp for breath.

“Hey!” A voice came from the other end of the alley. Castiel curled in on himself. The only thing he could do now was hope he looked innocent enough to be caught in a big understanding. The kicking had stopped, but Castiel couldn’t see what exactly was happening. He rubbed his hands at his eyes, trying to wipe the blood and tears out of them. In a flash, the second man was on top of the first man, pushing him into the wall by his throat. In the other hand, a knife came up, glimmering in the pale moonlight. Then, as if it had never been there, it was gone, buried to the hilt in the mans gut and twisted to the side before being pulled out and put away once more.

Castiel didn’t even have the energy left to be afraid. If the man who killed his attacker was about to kill him too then so be it. At least he would die knowing that he got to watch the scum of the Earth bleed out first. The first thing he noticed was the boots. Sleek, black, and familiar, followed by matching black pants and shirt, and a pair of wonderfully green eyes. The only thing that didn’t look like Dean was the mask of pure rage he wore on his face.

“Cas? Buddy, what did he do to you?” Dean kneelt down beside him and let his fingertips brush across Castiel's bloody, bruised face, causing him to flinch. Immediately he wished he hadn’t because Dean pulled his hand away so fast that he nearly hit it off one of the barrels near them. “Come on lets get you up.”

Dean wrapped an arm under Castiel’s and hoisted him to his feet. The last thing he saw was the other man laying in a pool of blood before everything went black.


	10. Chapter 10

Castiel woke up in more pain than he ever had been in his life. At least his bed was soft and warm. He pulled the blanket up over his face, enjoying the feeling of comfort it gave him even if it seemed to make his face sting slightly. Realization dawned on him and he whipped the cover from his face, looking around. His right eye must’ve been swollen nearly shut because he could only see a sliver of the world around him. Through his left eye, he could make out the inside of a cabin. Everything seemed so exotic, down to the green and blue blankets wrapped around him. Strange fashioned art pieces hung to the walls along with two lit lanterns. Where was he?

Slowly, he had to crawl out of bed, his body screaming at him the entire time. A set of clothes sat on the chair next to the bed. They clearly weren’t his, he had never worn anything so… simple. But, they were about his size and he was completely naked. So, they’d have to do. At least they were airy and light on his body. Shuffling towards the door, he nearly tripped over a pair of boots. Oh well, those were his now, too. At least everything fit decently enough.

When he finally was ready, he pulled open the big wooden door only to realize he had been in the Captain’s quarters. He stumbled out right away. There was no reason he should ever be in a Captain’s room, never mind his bed, whether he was a Pirate or not. Captains deserved privacy and respect. Castiel could feel his cheeks flush as Dean came into view.

“Cas, you’re up. Glad to see the clothes fit. I wasn’t sure they would, but they’re just a little baggy, it’s not too bad.” Dean was standing at a much larger distance than he had ever done before, though Castiel wasn’t sure why. He wasn’t sure why he was noticing it at all.

“I, uh, yeah. Thank you. But I don’t understand.” He had a hangover, a nearly broken body, and awful memories of the night before.

“Well, uh, like Sammy said, we’ve been to that ratty little city quite a few times. I heard the stories before, about a man in the shadows. He preys on women and men. They even said there was a young girl, but… her body was so torn up, they weren’t sure if he had done it or if she’d been mauled by wild animals.” Dean looked away from Castiel, towards where his crew worked on the deck below. “Imagine my surprise when I came back to find you gone, in the clutches of that… Monster. I guess he usually doesn’t kill people, just…You know… But you, I’m sure you couldn’t have taken many more hits.”

“I’m sure.” Castiel’s body felt light. Dean hadn’t accused him of being a queer, and judged him the way other people would’ve. He hadn’t left Castiel to whatever that awful man had planned for him. He had saved him, and more importantly countless other people from a dangerous plague on society. Then, he brought him back and…Wait. They were sailing away. He looked all around and couldn’t see land at all. “Did we leave? I didn’t get to talk to Gabriel…I didn’t even get to say goodbye.”

“I know, and I’m sorry. But, he said we needed to leave or we might miss your Brother.” Dean fished around his pocket, pulling out something he handed over to Castiel. It was the pin Castiel always wore. The one he had left in his pocket so he wouldn’t be recognized so easily. “Your clothes were torn and bloody, I figured they were trash, but I remembered you put that in your pants and figured you might want it back.”

“Thank you.” Castiel felt so small. His mind was reeling from everything that happened.

“He also wanted me to give you this.” Dean pulled out a small envelope, handing it over gently. Potentially the last bit of contact he would ever have with Gabriel, he knew he would treasure it forever. Even when he had to hide it away once he was back home. Sliding it into his pocket, Castiel would save it for later in case it made him cry. Dean had seen enough of that already. Besides, with only one good eye, he wasn’t sure how easy reading Gabriel’s chicken scratch would be. “So what exactly is the plan?”

“The plan?” Still slightly shaken from everything that had happened in the last 24 hours, Castiel wasn’t sure what the Captain was referring to.

“With your Brother… Geez Cas maybe you should go lay back down.”

“No.” It came out sharper than he meant. No matter his status and regardless of what Gabriel was paying him there should be no reason for Castiel to be in the Captain’s Cabin. He refused to abuse whatever power Gabriel had over these men. “I think I need water that’s all.”

To his surprise, Dean went to find it right away. Again, it struck him odd with how this dirty, no good Pirate Captain interacted with his crew, and even with Castiel himself, who should be nothing more than a walking sack of coin.

“The plan,” Castiel said after chugging as much water as his churning stomach could hold. He was feeling better already, even if only slightly. “Is to bring my Brother home.”

“Bring him home?” A distasteful look plastered across Dean’s otherwise pleasant face.

“Yes. I don’t know what has gotten into Balthazar, but it’s nothing I can’t fix.” He was so sure of it. They had been more than Brothers. Balthazar had been his best friend. Surely reuniting and asking him to return would be enough. They could come up with some excuse later to appease Father. Kidnapped by Pirates, sold into slavery, stranded on an island. Balthazar had always been a convincing liar. Whatever excuse he picked would do well enough.

Still, Dean looked unsure. Castiel wondered if Dean knew something he didn’t. Of course Dean and Balthazar had spent some time together while he was hand delivering him to Gabriel. But it didn’t matter why Balthazar had left, the only thing he cared about was bringing him home.

**Author's Note:**

> Likes comments and feedback is always welcome and encouraged. :)


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